The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1887-08-10
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 1887.
QUEER THINGS TO EAT.
An Odd Kettle of Fish-strange Food of
Certain Savages.


Have you ever tasted the flesh of a
shark, or reveled in devil-fsh stew? If
net, you are only half an epicure."
So said State Fish Commissioner Eu-
gene G. Blackford.
''All fish are edible" he continued,
"but popular prejudice adjudges some to
be unfit to cook. Who would ever dream
of eating toad-fish? The appearance of
the creature, with his hideous head and
brown, spotted skin, is sufficient to take
away any mans appetite; yet the flesh of
toad-fsh is tender and palatable. When
fried it tastes very much like porgy. -
Sharks are also excellent eating. They
are very plentiful in these waters, and il
people could be brought to believe that
their flesh is wholesome and agreeable to
the taste, an excellent fish would be sold
in the market at prices SO cheap that the
poorest man could buy it. Shark s flesh.
is firm, and in taste is hardly distinguish
able from halibut. A delicious soup can
be made from the fins. The meat is best
when boiled or fried in oil. The devil
fish, or giant squid, is the same creature
of which Victor Hugo writes in his novel,
The Toilers of the Sea- 1t is know to
scientists as the octopus. In appearances
it is horrible monster, with huge
head and body furnished with snake like
feelers, which sometimes grow to be thir-
ty feet in length, and are as powerful in
their grasp as the folds of boa con-
strictor.a
"You do not mean to tell me that the
flesh of such creature is edible ?"
ut is simply delicious when properly
prepared. 1t should be cut into small
pieces and cooked with herbs. 1t becomes
then a jelly-like substance of delicate
flavor that melts in the mouth. | regard
the flesh of devil-fish as delcacy.--
There is another species Of devil. fish
which resembles skate or raydsh. The
largest of them weigh from 100 to $50
pounds. 1t is excellent eating when boil
ed, tasting like turbot. On the banks
of Newfoundland and off the Massachu-
sets coast, where Goldfish are caught,
some hideous sea monsters are captured
by the fishermen. The most savage is
the wolfflsh. 1t has large head and
wide, vicious jaws, armed with fang like
teeth. In weight it averages ~ pounds.
Fishermen regard it as dangerous crea-
ture to handle, for with one snap of its
jaws it can snip off a mans finger or
hand. When boiled tho wolf-ilsh is al
most as palatable as paddock. Another
caught with the cod is the cusk. 1t closely
resembles the cod in size, appearance and
flavor, but is not regarded as good food
fish on account of the remarkable thick
ness of its skin.'
care sea-robins and goosc-fsh good
eating"
Certainly There is no better pan fish
in the world than sea-robin. To DO sure
1t consists almost entirely Of fins, SO much
SO that many people confound it with
aying-fish; but what flesh there is upon
its bones is delicate, tasting very much
like sea bass. The goose-fish is remarka-
bly, ugly to look at, but fairly good eating
when boiled. 1t is nearly all mouth, so
that, although it weighs often twelve or
fifteen pounds, one or two persons could
eat an entire fish. The angelfish is an
other strange creature of the deep which
could be made popular food fish il the
public could be brought to understand the
excellent quality of its flesh 1t runs
generally from throe to six pounds in
weight, and resembles the sheepshead
When baked or boiled 1t is fully equal in
flavor to the sheepshead. Tho tile-flsh,
when boiled, tastes like the haddock. 1t
was first caught in American waters off
the coast of Massachusetts,, about six
years ago. 1t haunts very deep waters,
and is not often taken. The triple tail or
black perch weighs, on an average, ten
pounds. Its meat is firm and white, and
resembles the black-fish in flavor. The
proof of the pudding is in the eating, is
an old mixim and true one. / have
eaten the flesh of every fish / have refer
red to, and know that my words are tru,
by actual experience. "-New York Ma
and Express.